Light permeable fluid level marker for casings



Dec. 22, 1959 w, c; ss c 2,917,924

LIGHT PERMEABLE FLUID LEVEL MARKER FOR CASINGS Filed May 2, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \NVENTOR fi l/60 CWFSi/CK I ATTORNEY- Dec 22, 1959 w, c, ss c 2,917,924

LIGHT PERMEABLE FLUID LEVEL MARKER FOR CASINGS Filed May 2, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR %14@ 6' Maw/(K ATTORNEY United States Patent- LIGHT PERMEABLE FLUID LEVELMARKER FORCASINGS Willard c. Messick, Summit, NJ., assignor to Standard Alarm and Signal Company, Madison, N.J., a corporation of New'Jersey I This invention relates to a light permeable device which maybe secured to a casing containing fluids under pressure, to provide a constant visible marker automatically marking the levelof fluid therein- (the term fluid as used herein shall be deemed to include gases, liquids and other flowing materials). My co-pending application, Serial No. 536,594 allowed August 7, 1956, shows an example of a casing in connection with which the present invention may be used. The invention is equally applicable toother forms of fluid casings, as will become apparent from the description below.

Fig. of the present application is intended as a schematic showing of devices having a horn or other warning devices to be actuated upon release of the fluid with which the casing has been initially filled under pressure, when the ambient temperature rises to a predetermined degree. Fig. 6 illustrates application of the invention to a fire extinguisher type of casing, initially filled with a fluid under pressure to be released upon the occurrence of a fire by manipulation of a trigger or other release mechanism. 7

The invention is adapted fo use with any casing holding a. fluid under pressure to be maintained hermetically sealed, to immediately indicate any droppingof the fluid belowa safe or normal level.

It is the common practice to. fill casings for fire detection; fire alarm or extinguishing purposes, under pressure, and to then take the casings downperiodically to weigh themto determine whether thefluid therein has evaporated below a safe level.

This is an incomplete, costly and time consuming procedure, and depends' upon the initiative and accuracy of the person in charge of checking, who might or might not take the equipment down and weigh it during the supposedly scheduled times. Serious loss of life and property has occurred where such casings have lost their fluid, a fact not determined prior to occurrence of the emergency for which the casing was intended.

Pursuant to the present invention, the foregoing deficienci'es are. obviated by the provision of a marker. automatically constantly indicative the exact level of the fluid under. pressure of the casing, in ,an arrangement such that the observer need only look at the marker to determine whether the fluid in the casing is up to the desired level.

Pursuant to the invention, a novel marker structure is provided, comprising an elongated body of light permeable material closed at one end and having an axial recess opening into the other end thereof, the marker being secured at such other end thereof internally of the casing in constant contact with the fluid therein, the closed end of the marker projecting substantially outwardly of the casing for visually marking the level of fluid. Whether the marker is placed at ceiling or eye level height, one may readily see and note the level of the fluid in the casing at any time rapidly and without having to do any special chore or extra work.

Pursuant to the invention, novel means are provided,

as above mentioned, for securing the marker to the easing, and also for automatically draining the liquid from the marker as rapidly as the level of the liquid in the casing falls, so that the market will at all times reflect the true level of the 'fluid at the moment of observation.

Inthe'drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of a marker embodying the invention, shown secured to the aperture location in the wall of a casing,

Fig. 2 is an internal elevational view taken from the interior of the casing at line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a marker and a portion ,of the casing wall to which the same is secured, showing the manner in which the observer may note the true level .of the fluid within the casing, which, as noted, has fallen to a point about midway the height of the marker, s

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, elevation'al, sectional view of the end of the casing shown provided with a longitudinal tube having an aperture above which the fluid level must be located for safety,

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a device embodying the invention, and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of another form of casing provided with a marker of the invention.

As set forth above, the marker of the invention is adapted to be secured to any casing containing liqu-id' under pressure hermetically sealed therein, to indicate the true level of such liquid at all times. The casing may be of any outline suited for the intended use-for example, it may be a circular casinglO- (Fig. 5) filled from an opening such as 11 at the top thereof, then hermetically sealed by a closure unit 12. Closure unit 12 may includea horn 13 for sounding a warning when an opening in the closure unit 12 is formed pursuant to elevational of ambient temperature to a predetermined deg'ee at the'location in which thecasing 10 is positioned. In Fig. 6, the casing 10a is filled with a fluid under pressure and is provided with a closure 12a unit which may be a trigger means actuated by the operator when it is desired to open the casing and release the fluid as, for example, to extinguish a fire, to discharge the fluid through the hose 11a, for example.

The above reference to specific forms of casings, shall in no wise be deemed to limit the invention, which, it will be apparent from the disclosure herein, is equally applicable to other casings having hermetically sealed fluid therein to be maintained at a level essential for safety.

Such level, for example, may be'required to be above an opening such as 14 in a tube 15 .in the case of the casing shown for example, in Fig. 4 hereof, and also shownfin my co-pending application, Serial No. 536,594. It is essential for safe operation, that the fluid be maintained, at such level as16, for example, in Fig. 5, or-1'7 in- Fig. 6. Pursuantto the present invention, the'casing isprovided with anv aperture 20 (Fig. 1) in the wall thereof, the marker being hermetically secured to the wall of the casing in line with said aperture. The marker comprises an elongated body .portion ,21' of light, permeable material (such as tempered glass) closed at one end 22 and having an axial recess 23 opening into the other end 24 thereof. The marker hermetically seals the aperture in the wall of the casing and is disposed in direct contact with the fluid in the casing, by means, such as shown in Fig. 1, comprising a bracket 25 open at the outer and inner ends 26, 27 thereof. The open end 26 of the marker may be secured to the casing wall by welding the same thereto as noted at 28, Fig. l, the other open end 27 of the bracket being thus disposed interiorly of the casing in registry with the aperture 20. The said other end 24 of the marker is formed complementary to the said other end 27 of the bracket to seat thereon interiorly of the observable as the marker will reflect no fluid therein.

4, 5 and 6, the fluid level isabove the recess 23 of the marker 22, so that the entire marker appears visually to be filled-a fact immediately observable by the viewer. If the level of the fluid in the casing falls partially below the top of the marker, that fact'will become immediately apparent (Fig. 3). If the fluid level falls completely below the marker proper, the empty condition will be If it is desired to enhance the visibility of the fluid level through the marker, that may be done, for example, by adding a dye to the fluid, where the fluid is of a neutral or nondistinctive color. The body portion 21 of the mark er, as shown in the drawings, may be formed of circular transverse outline (Fig. 2) and it may be axially arcuately formed at the closed end 22 thereof. The recess 23 in the marker is preferably axially widened toward the inner or other end 24 of the marker so that as the fluidin the casing falls below the marker level, the fluid will naturally drain out of the recess 23 and into the casing (Figs. 1 and 3). Suitable means, as, for example, a compressible member 23, are positioned between the end 27 of the bracket 25 and the end 24 of the marker body'member 21. The marker is urged toward the end 27 of the bracket 25 by suitable means such as, for example, by retaining ring member 30 engaging the bracket and marker; ring member 30 may be externally threaded (Fig. 1) for engagement with the complementarily threaded'portion 31 of the bracket 25. The retainer ring 30 may have slots 32 formed therein and outwardly opening to facilitate ere gagement by a key or other suitable tool for threading the ring 30 in the bracket 25. A second compressible member 33 may be provided, positioned on the outwardly directed flange 34 of the marker 21, which is complemen- -tary to the inwardly directed flange 35 of the inner end of the bracket 25; disc member 36, having an upper surface of good slippage characteristics, is positioned on the compressible member 33, which, in turn, is positioned on the marker 21 is hermetically sealed to the bracket 25 as above noted. The casing 20 may be filled with the liquid 18 to the desired level through the casing opening such as 11,- which may be closed by a closure unit such as :12

in the Fig. 5 form of the invention, or at 12a in the Fig.

6 form of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A light permeable marker to be inserted into the aperture in the side wall of a fluid container for visually indicating the level of fluid under pressure in said container, said marker comprising a bracket having a main body portion cross sectionally substantially conforming to the aperture for insertion therethrough substantially into the container body, and having an end portion substantially greater cross sectionally than the aperture, the end portion of the bracket being positioned over the aperture and secured to the outer face of the container in overlying sealing relation to the aperture, and the main body portion of the bracket extending substantially inwardly of the container and being partially closed at the inner end thereof, a marker comprising a body portion of light permeable material elongated to extend substantially through the bracket and beyond the side wall of the container, said marker being closed at the extremity of its so extending end and having an outwardly directed flange at the other end thereof adapted to be inserted into the bracket and seated on the partially closed inner end of the bracket within the container, a compressible member between said marker flange and partially closed end of the bracket, and a member engaging the bracket and Outwardly directed flange of the marker holding the marker on the partially closed end of the bracket and sealing said flange on the partially closed end, of the bracket.

2. In alight permeable marker as set forth inclaim 1,. said bracket being internally threaded, and said member engaging the bracket and flange being externally threaded for complementary threaded engagement-with the internally threaded portion of the bracket to move onto the outwardly directed flange of the marker, to compress said outwardly directed flange onto the partially closed end of the bracket, to so seal the marker in the bracket.

3. A light permeable marker to be inserted into the aperture in the side wall of a fluid container for visually indicating the level of fluid under pressure in said. container, said marker comprising a bracket having a main body portion cross sectionally substantially conforming to the aperture, and having an end portion substantially greater cross sectionally than the aperture, the end portion 'of the bracket being positioned over;.the aperture and secured to the outer face of the containerinoverlying relation, and the main body portion of the bracket extending substantially inwardly of the container and being partially closed at the inner end thereof, a marker comprising a body portion of light permeable; material elongated to extend substantially beyond theside. wall of the container, said marker .being closed at the'extremity of its so extending end and having an outwardly directed flange at the other end thereof adapted to be seated on the partially closed inner end of the bracket, a compressible member between said marker flange and partially closed end of the bracket, said bracket being internally threaded, and a member externally threaded for complementary threaded engagement with the internally threaded portion of the bracket to move onto the outwardly directed flange of the marker, compress said outwardly directed flange onto the partially closed end of the bracket, sealing the marker in the bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany June 18; 1914 

